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In late December 2017, one of the world\u2019s leading neurobiologists died of pancreatic cancer. His name was Ben Barres. He was an extraordinary scientist, advancing our understanding of how the brain works, in particular how certain cells in the brain may contribute to degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer\u2019s and Parkinson\u2019s.

He had also lived the last 20 years of his life as a transgender man. He used his unique perspective of having \u2018lived in the shoes of a woman and\u2026the shoes of a man\u2019 to become an outspoken opponent of gender bias.

As the voice of the transgender community continues to grow in influence, what can wider society learn from people who\u2019ve been in this rare position of living life as both a perceived man and woman? What does their experience tell us about the nature of gender bias? And does it help us fix it?

(Photo: People hold a giant transgender flag at a gay parade. Credit: Bulent Kilic/AFP/Getty Images)